Friday, 24 August 2012

Crumbling Milton Keynes bridges

We're on Jubilee again! Visiting Ally and Ben in Milton Keynes, we took the boat out of the marina for the first time. Last night we tied up opposite Campbell Park and enjoyed a towpath barbecue.

This morning we continued to Great Linford, where we bought diesel (89p per litre) from a coal boat whose name I keep forgetting (five letters, begins with "A", horse racing venue). After winding just before the aqueduct at New Bradwell we found ourselves being filmed as we passed under the bridge by the Black Horse pub at Great Linford. As we got closer I could see that I knew the reporter who was doing a piece to camera. Even on holiday I can't get away from work!

Jozef Hall was reporting on the crumbling state of some of Milton Keynes's bridges, and had chosen Bridge 77 to stand by to record the 1315 promo. We stopped outside the pub, had lunch on board (I bought a pint at an eye-watering £3.60 to justify our presence) and watched Look East at 1330 to see Jozef's live report. Afterwards we invited him to have a look round Jubilee. I'm sure he spent more time on his phone on the back deck than on the tour!

As we travelled yesterday we had noticed the parlous state of some of the bridges.